In most modern computing systems, the user interacts with the computing system through a graphical user interface (GUI). The GUI is the interface between the user and the computer and typically includes icons, graphics and/or text boxes, windows, and text to visually represent applications and function utilities to the user. The GUI is often based upon an operating system executed by the computer system, such as Microsoft® Windows®, Linux®, SunOS®, Unix®, MacOS®, Palm OS®, and so forth.
The GUI, which is displayed on a physical display device (or computer monitor), provides a user with a convenient way to visually organize and work with applications. Each user interactive application executed by the computer system is typically associated with a self contained application workspace window that includes menus, function buttons and an area (referred to herein as the application workspace) in which content of the application (e.g., documents, spreadsheets, charts, graphics and the like) can be displayed. As is known in the art, a window is a dedicated and potentially scrollable viewing area displayed on a computer monitor, and can be defined by a boundary. Each individual application workspace window can be arranged on a “desktop.” The desktop usually has dimensions that are generally co-extensive with fixed viewing dimensions of the physical display device.
One of the benefits associated with using application workspace windows in a GUI is the ease of displayed content management. For instance, with the touch of a mouse, the user may open and close application workspace windows, organize application workspace windows (e.g., by moving the application workspace window to a desired location), re-size application workspace windows, and simultaneously display multiple application workspace windows. Accordingly, the application workspace windows may typically take a variety of forms, including, a minimized icon form that reduces the application window to the size of an icon; a maximized form that maximizes the dimensions of the application workspace window to be coextensive with a maximum allotted portion of the desktop; or an intermediate form wherein the physical size of the application workspace window is larger than an icon, but smaller than the maximum dimensions. In some systems, application workspace windows can be fully or partially displayed on the computer screen depending upon a “location” of the application workspace window relative to the computer screen and a display priority relationship with other applications (e.g., one application workspace window can be cascaded over another application workspace window).
However, there are certain drawbacks associated with the use of windows in a GUI. For instance, within a given parent application workspace window (also referred to herein as a main application workspace window), a user may have multiple child application windows (also referred to herein as a sub-application window) open and displayed on the computer screen at the same time. As is known in the art, the “parent” and “child” analogy refers to a relationship between processes in a multitasking environment, in which the parent process calls the child process.
Since the application parent workspace window is conventionally not larger than an area allotted by the desktop, the user is limited as to how many child application windows that can be effectively displayed within the parent application workspace window. If even just a handful of child application windows are opened, the child application windows would have to be minimized, tiled and/or cascaded to fit in the parent application workspace window and would likely be too small and/or cluttered to be of use to the user. Also, in many instances, the user may not remember which child application windows are open or where they are located within the parent application workspace window. In addition, conventional GUIs do not allow a user to return to a previously used arrangement of child application windows. Thus, the user is frequently faced with a tedious and convoluted task of locating, activating and reconfiguring desired child application windows to view a user's preferred arrangement of child application windows.
Accordingly, there is a need in the art for an improved system and method for generating and interacting with a workspace of a computer application.